Chapter 269: Utterly Absurd
“Hahaha, yoshi!”
“Yoshi, hahaha.”
“The five wagonloads of tungsten ore that were lost have all been recovered by me, haha.”
Major General Kumamoto, commander of the Kumamoto Division, grabbed a handful of tungsten ore in front of him and smiled so brightly that his entire face lit up.
Juichi Muto also followed with a laugh: “By recovering five wagonloads of tungsten ore, we have also recovered our honor.”
While Major General Miyai was pleased, his tone still carried some regret: “The tungsten ore has been recovered, but the Eighth Route Army’s main force was not critically damaged and managed to escape. That’s too regrettable.”
Juichi Muto, however, said: “Miyai-kun, there’s no need to lament. Since the Eighth Route Army hid the tungsten ore in Yang’er Mountain, their arsenal cannot be far away; it must be nearby.”
Major General Kumamoto also nodded and said: “If we search thoroughly around Yang’er Mountain, we will definitely find the Eighth Route Army’s Border Region Arsenal. At that time, once we control the Eighth Route Army’s Border Region Arsenal, we won’t have to worry about the Eighth Route Army’s main force…”
Kumamoto Division Commander’s words were not finished when a signalman, holding a newly arrived telegram, rushed over: “Division Commander, this is bad! Colonel Kitano has sent an urgent telegram stating that our logistics and supplies are gone.”
Logistics and supplies are gone!!!
These words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving the three, including the Kumamoto Division Commander, stunned.
What kind of joke was Lieutenant General Kitano playing?
He had a full ten thousand troops under his command.
Could so many men not even guard the logistics and supplies!
The Kumamoto Division Commander angrily snatched the telegram and quickly looked at it.
After reading the contents, the Kumamoto Division Commander was so angry his nose was crooked: “Baka! This damned Kitano, how did he lose the supplies?”
The telegram only stated that the logistics and supplies were gone, but did not mention how they were lost.
Juichi Muto and Major General Miyai also grabbed the telephones to look at them. The former said angrily: “We captured the tungsten ore and hadn’t even been happy for two seconds before our logistics and supplies were gone. Without provisions, how can we hold onto the tungsten ore? Let alone the tungsten ore, we probably can’t even hold onto the army.”
Major General Miyai angrily reprimanded: “This damned Kitano, faltering at a critical moment, isn’t he dragging us down! Without logistical support, not only must this raid on the Eighth Route Army be halted, but if our provisions are cut off, the Eighth Route Army might very well turn around and ride on our necks!”
“Send a telegram to Commander Shinozuka immediately and tell him that our army’s provisions are gone, and he needs to find a way to send us provisions quickly,” the Kumamoto Division Commander immediately ordered the signalman. “Also, send a telegram to Major General Kawashima, asking him to keep some troops to contain the Eighth Route Army and the Jin Sui Army, and have him spare some of his supplies and provisions to send to us.”
“Yes,” the signalman quickly ran off to send the telegrams.
“Gentlemen, the dry rations we have are enough for one more day,” the Kumamoto Division Commander forced himself to calm down and said, “The troops will now quickly switch to defensive positions, and the dry rations will be conserved and divided into a three-day supply.”
Due to the planned raid on the Eighth Route Army, and the Eighth Route Army’s scorched-earth policy, the army could not obtain provisions locally.
Juichi Muto and Major General Miyai looked at each other, their expressions very serious: “From now on, the Eighth Route Army’s troops will probably be constantly harassing and attacking us. They won’t stop and will wear us down.”
“Let the Puppet Army hold the line. Even if casualties are heavy, the Puppet Army will bear the casualties,” the Kumamoto Division Commander said cruelly. “If more of the Puppet Army dies, won’t some of the dry rations be saved?”
“Yes, that makes sense,” Juichi Muto and Major General Miyai both nodded.
The Kumamoto Division Commander reminded them: “Remember, the supervisory team must keep a close eye on them to prevent any surrender incidents among the Puppet Army. This opening must absolutely not be created.”
The Puppet Army are cowards; without food, they are very likely to surrender.
If this opening is created, it will be difficult to stop.
If all the Puppet Army surrenders, it will be truly bad.
“That is natural,” Juichi Muto and Major General Miyai both nodded heavily, clearly understanding what the defection of the Puppet Army would mean.
The three quickly issued orders, and the unit quickly switched to defensive operations.
Of course, many below did not understand why they had to adopt a defensive posture when the tungsten ore had been recovered.
Even if they didn’t need to continue raiding the Eighth Route Army, they should at least have sent someone to quickly transport the tungsten ore back.
The strategy of defending in place baffled those below.
The news of the severed supplies was, naturally, strictly kept secret by the Kumamoto Division Commander and the others.
They simply ordered those below to execute the commands.
The three had only been busy for a short while when they saw the signalman arrive again with a new telegram: “Division Commander, Colonel Kitano has sent an urgent telegram again.”
Lieutenant General Kitano sent another urgent telegram?
Hearing this, the Kumamoto Division Commander was still a bit dazed.
After Lieutenant General Kitano lost our logistics and supplies, what urgent telegram could he possibly send?
Upon receiving the urgent telegram, the Kumamoto Division Commander was so enraged that he tore the telegram to shreds on the spot, roaring with fury: “Baka! This fool Kitano, with the supplies and logistics gone, he still gives me such an absurd reason! He’s truly damned!”
Juichi Muto and Major General Miyai both looked at the Kumamoto Division Commander suspiciously: “What did Colonel Kitano say in the telegram?”
“He said that the logistics and supplies were destroyed by an Eighth Route Army artillery bombardment, causing a detonation,” the Kumamoto Division Commander said, fuming. “He said that the Eighth Route Army’s cannonballs were fired from dirt pits and didn’t even need cannon barrels. He also said I should be careful of the Eighth Route Army using this kind of artillery in guerrilla warfare!”
The Eighth Route Army fired cannonballs from dirt pits?
Upon hearing this, Juichi Muto and Major General Miyai’s expressions instantly became vacant.
Firing cannonballs from dirt pits, can that even launch them?
Without chamber pressure, how can the cannonball gain the energy to fly out?
Even the Eighth Route Army’s shoulder-mounted artillery has barrels.
Even the Eighth Route Army’s original crude cannons have barrels.
No cannon barrels, just digging a dirt pit to launch cannonballs, it’s impossible to understand why Lieutenant General Kitano would fabricate such an absurd reason.
It would have been acceptable even if you said the logistics and supplies were destroyed by the Eighth Route Army’s Hell Cannons causing a detonation.
The Eighth Route Army firing cannonballs from dirt pits is simply too absurd!
“Send a telegram to that idiot Lieutenant General Kitano immediately!” the Kumamoto Division Commander exclaimed in rage. “Tell him to stop dawdling with his troops and go rendezvous with Brigade Commander Kawashima immediately to escort the provisions and supplies he’s getting from Brigade Commander Kawashima.”
Even though the Kumamoto Division Commander wished he could strike down Lieutenant General Kitano with a single blow, he couldn’t let his anger control his brain at this moment.
Lieutenant General Kitano still had over ten thousand troops, so having him quickly rendezvous to escort the provisions and supplies from Major General Kawashima was the priority, not wasting time searching for the Eighth Route Army there.
The Eighth Route Army succeeded, destroyed the supplies, and would they foolishly wait for you to find them? They would have long since slipped away.
“Yes,” the signalman nodded and quickly went to send the telegram again.
…
Taiyuan First Army Headquarters
“Yoshi, five wagonloads of tungsten ore have been recovered. At least there’s an explanation for the domestic cabinet’s anger.”
Commander of the First Army, Yoshio Shinozuka, looked at the telegram sent by the Kumamoto Division Commander, and felt a significant measure of comfort.
But this comfort was quickly interrupted by a staff officer who had just entered.
The staff officer handed Yoshio Shinozuka an urgent telegram, speaking with a troubled tone: “Your Excellency Commander, Major General Kumamoto has sent an urgent telegram stating that his logistics and supplies have been attacked and requesting that you find a way to send him provisions immediately.”
Kumamoto’s logistics and supplies were attacked?
Upon hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka’s smile instantly froze, and he quickly took the telegram.
After reading the contents, Yoshio Shinozuka slammed the table with his palm: “Baka! Isn’t this a joke?!”
They seized the tungsten ore, but their supplies and provisions were attacked.
How could this Kumamoto have made such a rookie mistake?
Now, the Eighth Route Army has severely damaged the Jingtai Line, and the railway has not been repaired. Supplies and provisions from the Taiyuan rear cannot be delivered.
Unless!
Unless he communicates with Commander Gangcun of the North China Area Army, and has him send supplies via military train from the other side of the Jingtai Line.
But even so.
It takes time to load the supplies and provisions, and for the military train to arrive from the north.
In just one day, it would be impossible to deliver the provisions and supplies to Major General Kumamoto’s hands.
The staff officer reminded him: “Your Excellency Commander, Major General Kumamoto only has one day’s worth of dry rations left. Provisions need to be expedited.”
“The problem is that the provisions still need to be loaded, and there isn’t enough time,” Yoshio Shinozuka said, extremely annoyed.
Now was not the time to be angry about Kumamoto’s rookie mistake.
That was an army of sixty to seventy thousand.
They absolutely could not be annihilated by the enemy due to a lack of provisions and supplies.
“We can ask Commander Gangcun to communicate with the Kwantung Army,” the staff officer said. “Have the Kwantung Army airdrop supplies.”
Yoshio Shinozuka glared: “What kind of joke is that? That’s sixty to seventy thousand people, and their daily food consumption is nearly two hundred thousand catties. The Kwantung Army doesn’t have many transport planes, and their fuel reserves are not much…”
Yoshio Shinozuka’s words were not finished when the staff officer said: “We can’t just watch Major General Kumamoto and the others fall into desperation, can we? Even if Brigade Commander Kawashima sends supplies, it won’t arrive in a day. Having the Kwantung Army’s transport planes airdrop supplies can at least allow Major General Kumamoto and the others to hold on longer.”
“It seems we indeed need to ask Commander Gangcun to communicate well with the Kwantung Army Commander,” Yoshio Shinozuka finally nodded.
He picked up the microphone on the table: “Connect me to the North China Area Army Headquarters.”
The call was connected, and a staff officer answered. Yoshio Shinozuka said directly: “I have an urgent matter to discuss with Commander Gangcun.”
Not long after, the voice of Commander of the North China Area Army, Neiji Okamura, came through the microphone: “This is Okamura Neiji.”
“Commander Okamura, I have some very bad news that requires you to communicate with the Kwantung Army immediately,” Yoshio Shinozuka said, steeling himself. “The logistics and supplies of the Eighth Route Army sweeping team I sent have been destroyed. They only have one day’s worth of dry rations and urgently need supplies airdropped.”
“Baka, Shinozuka, how are you fighting this war!” Okamura Neiji cursed angrily.
Lately, the performance of the First Army has been getting worse and worse, increasingly disappointing.
Okamura Neiji cursed Yoshio Shinozuka a few more times, and could only hang up the phone in a hurry to communicate with the Kwantung Army.
Yoshio Shinozuka put the microphone back on the cradle and said to the staff officer in front of him: “Tell Kawashima to leave some troops to contain the Eighth Route Army and the Jin Sui Army, and to absolutely rendezvous with Major General Kumamoto with the provisions and supplies.”
“Hai!” the staff officer nodded and left.
Yoshio Shinozuka kicked over the table: “Baka, damn it!”
